Two Western New York counties were well represented during the New York Scholastic Trap and Skeet State Championships held June 12 in Jamesville.

Despite high winds and rain, youths representing North Forest Rod&Gun Club from Lockport in Niagara County and from the Orleans County Clay Crushers Team took home high honors in many divisions.

Doug Thompson, coach of the North Forest team, had high praise for both individual and team efforts in this championship. In the skeet intermediate division, the top three shooters were from Niagara County: First, Joseph Nagel; second, Joshua Schmidt; third, Jared Atwell (Jared shot at both the Niagara and Orleans practices).

Niagara County shooters also took all three top places in the skeet varsity division: First, Clayton Johnt; second, Ashley Butcher; third, Greg Lubacker. Those three comprised the members of the top skeet team.

In the varsity trap division, Lubacker took third. Coach Thompson pointed out that Lubacker, a high school graduate, has finished his eligibility in the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) and has received a major shooting scholarship to Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo.

Nine members of the North Forest Rod & Gun Club team will be participating in the SCTP National Shoot on July 13-16 in Sparta, Ill.

Thompson will be leading shooting events and welcomes all Niagara County-area youths to look into shooting programs at the North Forest club. For details, check with him at 807-6647.

Coach Chris Rice noted that 12 members of the Orleans County Clay Crushers youth shooting team participated in the SCTP Championships.

Brian Graham of Albion placed third in the wild-card division in the trap competition.

In the intermediate entry level division, Austin Brazzell of Medina earned a first-place finish and Jared Atwell of Albion took third-place.

In the junior varsity division, Cody Newbould of Albion placed second, and Jeff Ashbery of Albion was only one target behind Newbould in third.

The junior varsity division trapshooting squad of Ashbery, Newbould, Nick Austin of Medina, Nick Tolle of Albion and JJ Cooper of Albion broke 827 of 1,000 targets to come in first place. They were also the highest scoring squad of the day.

In the skeet competition, Atwell took third-place in the intermediate entry level division and was a member of the New York State Championship Squad. The squad of Brazzell and Austin finished second in the Junior Varsity Division.

The Clay Crushers plan to add Sporting Clays to their schedule very soon. Rice welcomes new shooters ages 12 to high school seniors to participate in the Orleans County Clay Crushers Program. For details call Chris Rice (585) 590-6282 or email: crice@rochester.rr.com .